Big I flyover standoff ends after several hours

Albuquerque police took a man into custody early Saturday morning following a standoff that lasted several hours and tied up traffic in the metro area.

Albuquerque police closed the I-40/I-25 flyover at aroung 8:00 Friday night as a man refused to surrender after being stopped in connection to a hit-and-run accident.

Police tell KOB Eyewitness News 4 that two drivers got into an accident earlier in the day. One of the drivers then fled the scene. Officers caught up with the suspect and when he was approached showed the officers a gun. Police then backed off the suspect and additional units were called in.

The suspect, identifed as Jason Kerns, was finally taken into custody at around 3 a.m. Traffic in the area was soon able to be opened up.

Kerns was arrested in 2001 and charged with shooting down a BCSO chopper. Those charges were later dropped.

Police originally confirmed with KOB that Kerns is in fact the suspect but have since backed off that confirmation.